Car-coupling



No. 444,050. Patented Jan. 6, 1891.

(N0 Model.)

i@ f 4 ff m @w@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GABRIEL A. IIENDRIOKS, OF BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA.

'CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,050, dated January 6, 1891.

Application filed October 8, 1890.

T0 all wiz/07??, it may concern:

Beit known ,th at I, GABRIEL A. HENDRICKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomington, in the county of Monroe and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in car-couplers; and it consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, more fully hereinafter described, and afterward definitely pointed out in the claim.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap, durable, and automatic coupler, and one which will avoid thedanger incidental to couplers when being coupled and uncoupled. This object I obtain by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my coupler, and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the same.

In the drawings, A represents a draw-head, having a suitable central link-opening B and an elongated recess C in its upper face, the forward side walls'of which are struck up to form ears D on opposite sides thereof. In the bottom part of the opening B, near the front of the draw-head, is formed an inclined or curved groove E, having a vertical front wall F. Journaled on a suitable pin G, secured in the ears D, is a swinging pin H, substantially bell-crank in shape, with a horizontal portion h, to the outer end of which is attached a manipulating-cord h. The lower end of the vertical portion of the pin is formed with a rearwardly-extending foot h2, having a curved bottom portion and a straight upper face, and extending back to a point substantially on the plane of the center of the horizontal arm.

NVhen the pin is lowered and the link is coupled, the end of the link will rest on the foot and prevent the 'link from being disengaged by the vibrations of the pin.

Serial No. 367,398. (No model.)

To permit of the pin being dislodged when the link is drawn taut against the sa1ne,wl1ich would prevent its backward swinging, I form in the upper portion of the vertical part of the pin an elongated vertical slot h3, through which the pin G passes. When the link is tightly held against the pin, it is only necessary to lift the same-until the lower end of the pin escapes the stop F. It is then permitted to swing forward and escape the link. As the pin again drops, the curved or inclined portion of the shoe strikes against the stop F, and as an incoming link strikes the same it is lifted over the stop and again permitted to swing back and couple the link. By having the ears constructed and arranged as above described it is an easy matter to extract the pin G and replace the pin I-I should the lat-- ter become broken.

l am aware that many minor changes in the construction and arrangements of the parts of my device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in the least departing from the principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a car-coupler, the combination, with a draw-head having a central opening B and a recess in its upper side, of ears struck up from the metal at the forward end of said recess, a locking-pin of substantially bell-crank shape having a vertical elongated slot in the upper end of its vertical portion, a pin passing through said slot, a foot formed on the lower end of the vertical portion of the pin, extending rearwardly, and having a curved under side and a straight upper edge, a stop formed at the bottom of the opening, and a cord attached to the horizontal arm of the locking-pin, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my Signat ure in presence of two witnesses.

GABRIEL A. HENDRICKS.

Witnesses:

W. B. BAKER, W. T. FIELDER. 

